Mammoth first timer

Headed to mammoth for the first time. We arrive Sunday and ride all next week. What can I expect? Do they have a lot of trails that you can cx ride? Or is using the life the best bet? We are staying at the mammoth inn. I guess it is right buy the gondola.

We will never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it.

Mammoth is awesome.
You can expect a unique trail surface.
You'll get an introduction to two wheel drifting through rim deep kitty litter. There is an art to it.
Amazing scenery in all directions from the top half of the mountain.
Trail ratings were reworked this season to be more uniform and to allow for a smoother and more logical progression in difficulty.
Expect high winds at the top of the mountain in the late afternoon.
Your bike park pass gets you $1 drafts at The Yodeler. Yodeler also has some pretty good food as well.
You should ride the lifts for a few days. You can access far more terrain that way.
There's a fair bit of XC as well that does not require lift service.

Yeah I would definitely ride the lifts at least a few days, especially if you're at the Inn. Mammoth trails are known for being soft, so a cx bike might be a challenge, although there are a ton of fireroads around. As mentioned there are a lot of trails outside the park as well that are worth checking out: Inyo National Forest Mountain Biking Trails out of Mammoth Lakes

Also check out the town bike path, which has some sweet views and is a cool way to get around town. The visitor's center should have some maps.

You should try the lifts for at least the first day - the altitude can make real XC rides difficult until you've acclimatized. There are a number of trails in the park where you can ride XC style without ever coming across any DH riders. That what I love about Mammoth,it feels like several different parks with all the different types of trails they have.